Policy, Implementation and Monitoring (PIM) Unit

This unit is headed by the DCEO (Administration). It has the responsibility of ensuring that all Education Districts comply fully with the Education Act, Policies and Regulations developed by the Ministry of Education. The head of this unit is the Chief Liaison between the Ministry of Education and Departments of Education to ensure a high level of overall accountability.

PIMU provides guidance to the Departments to ensure Decentralized Education Management (DEM) is fully operationalised. Consequently, it holds the Departments accountable for successful management of Education in the district. This area of operationalising the Decentralized Education Management (DEM) is being fully enforced to the point of requesting sanctions from the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and Public Service Commission (PSC) when breaches occur.

Supporting the DCEO (Administration) are:

1. The Coordinators of the School Boards Secretariat
2. Parent Teacher Associations
3. Schools Welfare Service
4. Senior Education Officer for Administration.

The coordinators will be responsible for coordinating the activities nationally within their respective areas.

Generally this unit has the responsibility to:

1. Assist in the development of the national education plan and policies.
2. Prepare Work Plans, estimates and their review.
3. Prepare quarterly and annual reports.
4. Perform general administrative functions for the education system.

Specifically this unit monitors the following:

1. Implementation of all administrative policies.
2. The administering of Corporal Punishment according to the Manual on the Guidelines for the Maintenance of order and discipline in schools.
3. Adherence to all financial regulations and relevant matters.
4. Policy of release of teachers to attend UG.
5. Policy on issuance, care and maintenance of textbooks.
6. Procedure for the establishment of Private Schools and related matters.
7. Adherence to the placement policy at Nursery, Primary and Secondary levels thru’ the respective Assistant Chief Education Officers and the Placement Unit.
8. Appraisal for all employees (officers / teacher / others).
9. Rationalization of staff at the different levels thru the respective ACEOs.
10. Gazetting and grading of schools.
11. National and international volunteer organizations for maximum use of human resources.
12. Policy of ‘No Smoking Zone’ in school buildings or the immediate environment.

In addition PIMU will perform other key duties within the sector such as liaising with other Government Agencies to coordinate national activities / events / competitions, the use of school building for after school activities including lessons for remediation purposes.

The sub-units of PIMU unit are:

1. Schools Welfare Services: The Schools Welfare Unit, a sub-unit of the Policy Implementation and Monitoring Unit is managed by a Chief Schools Welfare Officer (CSWO), who is assisted by Senior Schools Welfare Officers (SSWOs). The CSWO is placed at the MOE and coordinates the work of the SSWOs and Schools Welfare Officers (SWOs), who are both placed in Regions and Georgetown. The SSWOs and the SWOs are also supervised by the Regional Education Officers and the Principal Education Officer (Georgetown). A strong focus is being placed on the reduction of truancy and drop outs from the school system. Schools Welfare Officers visit schools regularly to check and investigate all such cases. Officers also skilled in guidance and counselling have been placed in selected schools for stipulated periods. The officers in the Regions forward monthly reports to the CSWO through the Regional Education Officers and are guided by him/her in matters of policy. Community and PTA participation in Education
2. School Boards Secretariat :The establishment of Board of Governance commonly referred to as School Boards is a policy initiative geared to involve the community in the management of public schools. This policy is predicated on the fact that education is public business since it is the tax payers who pay for education services, hence, the need to have representatives of the community at large involved in the management of our schools in a formal and structured way. Section (22) of the PC Act of 1990 provides the Minister of Education with the necessary powers to apply all or any of the provisions of the Act to any public educational institution for the purpose of establishing a School Board or Boards. A School Boards Secretariat (SBS) is in place and performs a coordinating function in addition to providing supporting services to Boards. Boards are appointed by the Minister on advice from the RDCs concerned. An appointed Board has a life of two (2) years and shall have not less than twelve (12) nor more than twenty-two (22) members. The Chairman and members of a Board are appointed by the Minister. On the issue of roles and responsibilities, the Board makes general rules and regulations to enhance the administration and governance of its schools using a system of committees. The responsibility for the day-to-day management of the school resides with Head / Principal and senior staff without the interference of the board. A Manual for the Governance of Schools by Boards has been prepared and this document should be used by all concerned for information and guidance.
3. Parent Teacher Associations:The Parent Teacher Association is a very important supportive arm of the school. This body, which will comprise parents, interested community members and teachers and will, in the true spirit of the words, partner in the education process of the school, being involved in all aspects of school life. Studies in this matter indicate that in every successful school there is usually an intimate relationship between school, home and community. It is imperative, therefore, that the Ministry undertakes to utilize the potential of this relationship to its fullest, by having vibrant PTAs in every school. Consequently, PTAs will, in a structured way, play a role in the instructional programmes of schools, the general management of these schools (including the formation of rules, and the improvement in general performance of the school in curricular and extra curricular matters), contribute to the improvement plans of the school and take action to assist the school in addressing its needs.These Associations will also undertake the acquisition and expenditure of all non-budgetary funds of the school, thus allowing teachers to concentrate on the teaching-learning process. This relationship can impact greatly on the issue of discipline in schools, as the learners realize that the school and home are in harmony and have both contributed to the rules and regulations that govern their behaviour. Vibrant PTAs, also, can reduce significantly, the incidence of violence in schools, acting as pressure groups to ensure that everyone observes the rules, whether learners, teachers or parents.

Further, they can also, when empowered, cause school managers to have schools that are effective and efficient. These PTAs will call on Headteachers to give an account for the results obtained at the grade assessments, and be part of solutions and remedies which may be necessary. It must be noted that though PTAs will play a more active role in the management of the school, the headteacher remains the leader of the team that manages the school. The Head teacher, however, by virtue of the fact that he/she is a member of the Executive Committee of the PTA, will offer the professional and technical advice that would have a positive impact on the actions taken by the PTAs. The PTA Coordinator, as a member of the Policy Implementation and Monitoring Unit, will arrange for Regional Officials and Headteachers to be oriented to understand and accept the new level of partnership with parents and to have implemented in every school, an association that conforms to the new concept. This would mean intense sessions with education and school managers in every Region, and action plans to be drawn up for immediate implementation.

Monitoring will have to be done to ensure that associations are allowed to function as outlined. This could be achieved by checking of records by MERD and visits to actual meetings by the coordinator, and Regional Officials. There would also have to be education sessions arranged for parents on a regional basis. Executive Committees for groups of PTAs will have to attend training sessions, so that they are aware of what is expected of them, and to ensure that there is a core of parents with an understanding of this new and dynamic concept. There will also be established a regional body for PTAs to work along with Heads of Departments of Education to bring about development in the school system in the respective regions. While the Coordinator will use a variety of strategies and techniques to support and expand the activities in the respective Education Districts, it is the responsibility of the Heads of Departments of Education to ensure that all schools have vibrant functioning PTAs or CTAs. Heads of Departments of Education will be expected to account fully for any violation of the PTA policy.